Superman – Ride of Steel

On March 3, 2016, Six Flags announced that the ride would be one of several rides at various Six Flags parks to feature a VR system. Riders have the option of wearing a Samsung Gear VR headset, powered by Oculus to create a 360-degree, 3D experience while riding. It is themed to Superman saving a city from Lex Luthor's Lex Bots who are causing chaos with an anti-gravity ray. This theming was also added to Superman: Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Superman The Ride at Six Flags New England.[1]

Once the train has been dispatched from the station it makes a winding, 180-degree turn. The train ascends 208 feet (63 m) up the lift hill and then drops 205 feet (62 m) at an angle of 68 degrees. The train reaches the maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h) before entering a sharp turn and the first airtime hill. A 540-degree helix follows, in addition to another smaller airtime hill. The finale involves a 500-degree helix and several more airtime hills before reaching the brake run and returning to the station.

• On May 16, 1999, a passenger was thrown from the train at the Darien Lake installment on one of the final hills and suffered minor injuries.[2]
• On July 8, 2011, disabled Iraq War veteran James Hackemer fell to his death while riding in the front seat of the Darien Lake installment.[3] State investigators faulted operator error as the cause of the accident and the ride was re-opened on July 22, 2011.[4] Although it was first reported that Hackemer was told he could ride all of the rides by a park employee, it was later revealed that Hackemer never checked with an employee whether or not it would be safe for him to go on the ride. He was offered a safety brochure for disabled patrons at the park entrance but refused it, claiming that he had already received one. The ride’s restraints are designed to hold passengers into the vehicle at both the hips and the shins. Signage at the ride entrance states that riders must have 2 functioning legs to ride in addition to meeting the height requirements, though it is unclear whether this information is given at the accessible entrance through which Hackemer accessed the ride. There were no employees checking height restrictions at this accessible entrance. Despite the fact that all three of the ride’s operators that day noticed that he did not have two functioning legs, none of the staff intervened to stop him from boarding. As a result, he was ejected from the ride after his hat flew off and he attempted to reach for it. He suffered blunt force trauma to the head and was killed instantly. [5]

• 
  The station of Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake
• 
  Superman's lift and first drop
• 
  Superman's first airtime hill
• 
  The version of (Superman) Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake

• Six Flags America's Official Page for Superman: Ride of Steel